


By My Side

by AceOnIce



Series: Author Magnus / Soldier Alec AU [7]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: Art Student Clary Fray, Artist Clary Fray, College Student Alec Lightwood, Fluff, Happy Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Insecure Alec Lightwood, Insecure Magnus Bane, Light Angst, M/M, Soldier Alec Lightwood, Writer Magnus Bane, like you have to really squint to see the angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-17
Updated: 2020-01-17
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:01:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22203775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AceOnIce/pseuds/AceOnIce
Summary: Jace introduces Alec and Magnus to Clary. Alec and Magnus discuss moving in together.
Relationships: Clary Fray/Jace Wayland, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Series: Author Magnus / Soldier Alec AU [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1596298
Comments: 12
Kudos: 262





	By My Side

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry this took a few days.  
> I wrote the next one in the series. But I don't really like it so I may scrap it or rewrite a chapter. But here is this one~

Two weeks after Jace and Alec get their matching tattoos, Alec meets Clary. With the expectation that he bring Magnus with him. He's not complaining about bringing Magnus, but he will complain that Jace made it a requirement. Alec has also learned that Isabelle already met Clary and adores her. They've even hung out alone twice, for shopping and for makeovers. Obviously Jace wasn't worried about Izzy coming off as judgmental which Alec feels is unfair because she's at least as bad him.

They meet at a bar because anything is better than Jace's tiny, rundown apartment that he has to live in because he refuses to get a roommate to help with rent. Alec and Magnus get to the bar before Jace and Clary which isn't surprising. Alec has never known Jace to be punctual.

Magnus leads Alec to the bar and orders them drinks while Alec scans the crowd. Is isn't large given that it's four thirty on a Tuesday, but there are a few people. Most of them seem to be drinking away their sorrows.

The bartenders sets two drinks in front of them. One is in a margarita glass, the large rim covered in salt, the drink an almost alarming shade of pink. It even has a little umbrella. The other is a normal brown in a normal cup, with a couple of ice cubes. Magnus sips at his large pink drink, watching Alec over the top of it. Alec tries his drink and grimaces at the taste of whiskey.

"Not your favorite?" Magnus asks.

Alec shakes his head. "It's fine."

"Try mine." Magnus slides it towards him. Alec glances at the entrance because Jace would _definitely_ make fun of him if he saw. Then he takes a sip of Magnus' drink. It's fruity, but not overly sweet- the salt on the rim helps. "Better?"

"Yeah."

"I'd offer to trade but I know you wont drink it in front of Jace."

Alec gives a sheepish smile. "Probably not."

Magnus lays a hand on his upper arm, squeezes it lightly. "Toxic masculinity will be the downfall of this country."

"Amen," a female voice chips in and Alec turns away from the bar. Jace and a tiny redhead have finally showed up. 

"You must be Clary," Magnus holds out a hand covered in rings, nail polish shining under the fluorescents. "I'm Magnus Bane."

Clary shakes his hand, grinning at him. "I love your makeup."

"Thank you, it takes me forever."

Jace clears his throat. "The sulking one is Alec."

Alec glares at him, because really? "I'm not sulking."

"It's good to finally meet you, Jace has told me a lot about you."

Alec shakes her hand, noticing the nervous glint in her eye. Jace must have told her how Alec was 'so judgmental'. Well now Alec is going to have to put on a smile and be the friendliest he can be just to prove Jace wrong.

"Yeah, you too. You're an artist, right? I love the tattoo you designed for me and Jace." 

She looks phenomenally relieved. "Really? I'm so glad! I wasn't sure if you would want something less abstract, but the symbols have meaning, did Jace tell you? I chose them for a reason when I was drawing it. I've never had someone tattoo my work on their skin."

While she was talking, Jace had ordered drinks for the two of them and he hands her one now. "Clary is an art student at NYU. She got almost a full scholarship."

"That's where I go too," Alec admits with only a slight flush. He's gotten better about telling people he's in college, mostly after a lot of talks with Magnus about there being no shame in going to college late. He's started to believe it. 

After establishing a common ground, Alec finds it easier to talk to Clary. She's over-excited and talks too much, but he has no major problems with her. And Jace is obviously enamored given his constant staring. After a while they move to sit around a table.

When Jace excuses himself to use the restroom, Clary asks, "So you live with Isabelle right? Do you guys get along? I can't imagine living with my brother."

"Izzy's a good roommate. But she's moving in with Simon when our lease ends in a couple months." Alec sips his drink, it's gotten better the more he drinks, to avoid the look he knows Magnus is giving him. Because he's just now hearing about this.

Alec has wanted to bring it up with Magnus for a few weeks, since he realized he wouldn't be extending his current six-month lease. He just didn't know how to broach the subject.

"Really? Are you going to stay in your current place?" Clary looks like she's worried about his future for him which is both considerate and a weird. 

"Probably not." He can't afford it alone.

Magnus grabs his hand on the table and interlaces their fingers. "Why don't you live with Jace? I've been curious, the two of you are so close, I would think you would make good roommates."

Alec shrugs. "Jace likes living alone."

"Correction, I don't like living with you. Or Isabelle." Jace slides back into his seat. "What did I miss?"

"Isabelle is moving in with Simon in a couple months," Clary answers.

"Really? About time, they've been dating for over a year now, haven't they?"

Alec fiddles with one of Magnus' rings, using his thumb where their hands are connected. "It wasn't very serious when they started dating." Simon and Isabelle had been on-again off-again for months before they got together officially.

"I guess," Jace sips at his drink. "I don't know if I'd want to wait a year to move in with someone I was dating."

"Yeah, me neither," Alec admits, feeling a familiar curl of panic in his chest. It's not the paralyzing fear that accompanies a panic attack, but it's still there. It's surfaced every time he's tried to tell Magnus that Isabelle is moving out. He doesn't want to pressure his boyfriend, but he also _really_ wants to live with Magnus. He spends more nights there than at home anyways. 

Clary hums thoughtfully, "Moving in with someone is a big deal, it can make or break a relationship, you know? I understand Isabelle waiting till she's certain to move in with him."

"Indeed. There's no point in rushing things when it might ruin the pre-existing relationship," Magnus adds.

Alec tries not to feel disappointed, tries to tell himself that Magnus isn't talking about them. By the time Alec's lease is up they will have been dating for five months- isn't that long enough? Then again, maybe it's not. Alec's never been in a serious relationship before so he's unsure, but it seems like enough. Especially given the way he feels about Magnus. Feelings that Magnus seems to share.

"I can't believe Simon still hasn't met our parents," Jace muses, grinning boyishly.

The conversation shifts and the anxiety in Alec's chest temporarily vanishes. He presses his shoulder to Magnus', wanting to be a bit closer to him, and enjoys the rest of the night.

***

The group splits up at the subway when Alec and Magnus head in the opposite direction of Jace and Clary. Alec was careful not to drink too much, just enough that he's feeling a little more confident. So when he realizes they're the only ones in the train carriage, Alec leans into Magnus. He takes Magnus' hand just to run his fingers over the rings. There's one that wraps around from Magnus' first knuckle all the way to his middle knuckle.

"So? What's the verdict on Clary?" Magnus asks, letting Alec examine his jewelry. 

"She's fine, nice enough." Alec isn't really thinking about his answer, he's almost dunk enough to bring up what he wants to talk about. Maybe he should've had another drink.

"She's a good fit for Jace."

Alec glances up at Magnus' face and finds those almost-golden eyes focussed on him. "I need to find somewhere to live in October."

"I can apartment shop with you, if you like? I'm sure we can find something near enough to where you live now."

Alec lets go of Magnus' hand and looks at his shoes. It's easier. He mumbles the statement, "You don't want to live with me."

"I'm sorry?"

Alec sighs and repeats himself, slightly louder. It appears his inhibitions are just loose enough. "You don't want to live with me."

Magnus doesn't answer for a moment. Alec decides he's probably made a huge mistake. "That's not the issue. We haven't been dating very long."

"Four months isn't long enough? Almost half a year by the time my lease ends. I'm always at your place already." 

Alec can practically see Magnus thinking. He doesn't speak until the subway comes to a stop. "Alexander, moving in is a big step."

Despite the late hour, the subway station is somewhat crowded and Alec doesn't feel like broadcasting his relationship to everyone. He waits until they're on the sidewalk, "I'm ready for this Magnus. I've never felt this way about anyone else."

"You don't exactly have a lot of experience," Magnus comments as they walk back to their apartment complex. He knows Alec's spotty dating history. "You know I love you. I don't want to ruin what we have by rushing into something."

"Right, but I don't think it will ruin anything."

"Living with someone... You see the worst parts of them. The little things start to build up, annoying habits become unbearable."

Alec's forehead creases. "Have you lived with someone before?"

"No," Magnus admits. "Not officially. I had a girlfriend stay with me for a few months... we broke up soon after. Admittedly, that particular relationship already had issues, but the shared living space made them worse."

They reach the apartment and Alec holds open the door to the stairwell. Magnus smiles at the gesture. "If you don't want to live with me, I'll let it go. But if you're just worried about what may or may not happen, can we at least talk about it?"

"Of course. I just want to ensure we don't make this decision lightly."

They climb the stairs, the air filled with only the sounds of their feet and breathing until Alec speaks again. "I'm not taking this lightly. I love being around you. I know living together has its own challenges, but relationships take effort. I'm willing to put in the effort for us."

Magnus opens the door at the fifth floor before Alec can do it. Alec ducks inside.

"I sometimes lock myself in my study for days to finish a manuscript."

Alec's brain is sluggish from the alcohol and it takes him a minute to understand. "You already do that. I don't mind it."

"I don't do my dishes until they pile up. My closet is almost always in a state of entire disarray. My makeup takes up most of the space in my bathroom cupboards and I usually forget to clean it off the sink."

"Magnus, I already know all this." They enter the loft and Alec toes off his shoes before sitting on the sofa. Magnus sits on the chair opposite him. "We both have faults and I get that. I can't see any of them becoming such an issue that we, what, break up over them? Unless..."

"I know that look. What is it?"

Alec presses his head into his hands. "I know my PTSD makes me difficult at times-"

Magnus pulls one of Alec's hands away from his face to meet his eyes. "This isn't about that. I will never blame you for being affected by your trauma."

Alec nods, swallowing. He lifts his head. "Almost all relationships fail. Regardless of living situations. I know this won't ruin anything. Not for me, at least. I've lived with Izzy for two years and she's generally a good roommate, but you think we never get on each other's nerves? At least I don't have to deal with you bringing home noisy lovers at one am when I have an exam the next day." 

Magnus chuckles. "To be honest, I'm a bit nervous. I haven't lived with anyone since I was a freshman in college. You may be used to it, but I'm used to having my own space, not having to worry about the things that come with living with someone else. However, I would miss you if you moved further away and I do see the appeal of you living here. Give me some time to think about it?"

"Yeah, that's all I'm asking."

Magnus leans in and presses a kiss to his cheek, then a longer one on his mouth. "I love you."

Alec smiles, tipsy and happy. "I love you too."

***

Alec wakes the next morning to find Magnus balancing on his elbow, a soft, thoughtful expression painted over his face.

"Good morning darling."

"Morning Mags." Alec doesn't have the energy to sit up just yet, or to move much at all, so he just pouts at Magnus until he gets a good morning kiss. A much too short good morning kiss.

"I love this."

Alec sleepily blinks at him. "What?"

"Waking up next to you," Magnus responds, brushing a stray curl of hair from Alec's forehead. "I want you to move in."

A smile spreads across Alec's face. "Really? You're not just saying that because I want to, right?"

"I'm not. I woke up early and I've been thinking about it. You were right last night. I believe the joys of living with you will offset any problems that arise."

Alec leans in to kiss him again, soft, but lingering. "I love you." He'll never get tired of watching the way Magnus' face lights up at those words.

"Move in with me?"

"I can't wait." 

**Author's Note:**

> I would probably not want to live with someone I'd only been dating six months, but I'm also incredibly bad at relationships.


End file.
